, opens new tab has said it will not send the gas to Moldova along alternative routes
citing what it describes as Moldovan arrears of $709 million
which denounces Russia's invasion of Ukraine
disputes that figure."With current super efficiencies in consumption
Transdniestria has enough gas until the end of January," the Telegram channel quoted First Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Obolonik as saying.NIGHT SHIFTSMany factories have switched to night shifts
a cement manufacturer in the town of Rybnitsa
had closed down.A steel mill of critical importance to the region also closed in the city.Russian gas supplied to the separatist region powered a thermal plant which provided electricity both for Transdniestria and most of the needs of government-held regions.Daniel Voda
press secretary of Moldova's central government
said suggestions that Russia might relent and eventually send gas to Transdniestria did not alter Moscow's responsibility for the energy crisis."Every time that Russia wants to show its might
it cuts off vital resources and turns people into hostages," Voda told the media outlet Nokta."This is an experiment using people that shows that Moscow is not worried about residents' comfort and security
No one deserves to live in fear and in the cold."Moldova's government has accused Russia of artificially creating the energy crisis to destabilise the country ahead of this summer's parliamentary election
It has offered to help Transdniestria tackle the power shortages
but the separatist region's leaders deny receiving any official proposals.Moldovan President Maia Sandu has said Gazprom could supply gas to Transdniestria via an alternative route
Bulgaria and Romania.Transdniestria fought a brief war against Moldovan government forces in 1992 and still hosts 1,500 Russian soldiers on the tiny territory that neighbours Ukraine.Reporting by Alexander Tanas; Writing by Ron Popeski; Editing by Will Dunham and David Holmes
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Moldova's breakaway region of Transnistria will receive gas from Russia as "humanitarian aid," but the rest of the country will remain cut off from Moscow's supply
the Kremlin-backed separatist leader Vadim Krasnoselsky said on Wednesday
Moldova and Transnistria both declared an emergency after Russia cut gas supplies on 1 January
citing an alleged $709 million (€688m) debt for past supplies — an allegation that the Moldovan government has fiercely denied
Krasnoselsky said that gas supplies to the region would be restored after "negotiations" with the Russian energy ministry
Krasnoselsky explained that supplies would be reinstated to provide Transnistria with "humanitarian and technical assistance," although he did not give a timeline for when this would happen
where temperatures often drop to subzero degrees
extended a state of emergency last week after halting gas supplies led to the closure of almost all industrial activity and power cuts of up to eight hours a day
Moldovan officials declared a state of emergency on Monday
citing fears that gas shortages could trigger a humanitarian crisis in Transnistria
which has claimed unilateral and internationally unrecognised independence following a short war in 1992
looks set to continue suffering from a lack of energy
Gas supplies to the EU candidate country have been halted both because of what Moscow says is unpaid debt and the end of a five-year deal between Ukraine and Russia
which cut the Kremlin's gas from flowing into Europe through Ukrainian territory
The end of the agreement mainly impacts the Kuciurgan power plant in Transnistria
which generates electricity throughout Moldova
The plant was privatised in 2004 and later sold to a Russian state-owned company — a process Chisinau says was illegal
Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said the country faces an "exceptional situation" and accused Moscow of deliberately "weaponising" the flow of energy alongside Ukrainian and EU politicians
Moldova's pro-Western government has hit back on claims that it has large unpaid debts to Russian gas giant Gazprom who terminated its contract with Moldovagaz — Moldova’s main gas operator — in which the Russian company owns a majority stake
that its debt is close to $8.6 million (€8.3m)
a fraction of what Gazprom accuses it of owing
Moldova's government implemented a series of measures to reduce energy consumption starting on 1 January
including limiting lighting in public and commercial buildings by at least 30% and energy-intensive businesses operating during off-peak hours
Recean also said the country was pursuing diversification of natural gas supplies to reduce its dependence on the Kuciurgan plant
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Lawmakers in Moldova’s separatist region of Tiraspol passed a law on Wednesday banning the use of the term ‘Transnistria’
equating it with terms such as ‘fascism’ and ‘Nazism’
saying he prefers the Russian term ‘Pridnestrovie’
either observed and verified directly by the reporter
or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources
The term "Transnistria" has been transformed from its original meaning of "the territory beyond the Dniester" into a symbol of "hunger
bloodshed and the Holocaust," Krasnoleski said
adding that the Russian term "Pridnestrovie" can and should continue to be used
Transnistria has agreed to Moldova's proposal to supply 3 million cubic meters of gas under a credit agreement
Moldovagaz and Tiraspoltransgaz signed the corresponding contract
Cheban noted that the companies signed a loan agreement for 3 million cubic meters of gas to support the functionality of the gas system on the left bank of the Dniester
Deliveries will be made based on requests from Tiraspoltransgaz
Tiraspoltransgaz must return the gas volume by March 1 or pay for it
the unrecognized PMR’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that:
"Transnistria welcomes the EU’s intention to provide an emergency financial grant to offer short-term support to the republic in the context of a humanitarian-energy crisis."
The authorities of Transnistria also proposed to hold a meeting with the Moldovan delegation as soon as possible
"due to the lack of precise information about the parameters of the support mentioned
as well as in response to the interpretations of certain Moldovan officials that contradict the content of the previously received letter from Moldova's political representative."
Transnistrian media pointed out that 3 million cubic meters of gas will be enough for Transnistria for 10 days, considering the current schedule of rolling blackouts and the nighttime operation of some enterprises, reportes NewsMaker.
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whose self-declared independence is not recognised by any country and whose people it regards as its own citizens
But it would have to charge for any gas it could send to Transdniestria
and this could fuel further disputes."There is no question that the government would want to help
The question is whether the separatists will want to accept the help
and whether this could be a prelude to a much bigger tussle instead of being the beginning of a potential cooperative relationship," he said in an interview."There is no question in my mind that Moscow now is banking on the possibility that the crisis would merely accentuate the separatist movement inside Moldova."Russia blames Ukraine for the halting of gas transit and says the United States will benefit - by selling more gas to Europe
Moscow denies using gas as a weapon to coerce Moldova but said last month
that it would take steps to protect its citizens and troops in Transdniestria and "react adequately to any provocations".Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean said on Friday the cutting of Russian gas to Transdniestria had created a crisis for his country."We treat this as a security crisis aimed at enabling the return of pro-Russian forces to power in Moldova and weaponising our territory against Ukraine
with whom we share a 1,200 km border," he said.'RUSSIA WILL NOT ABANDON US'In Transdniestria
authorities are eking out their remaining reserves of gas and some is still being pumped to apartments so people can cook food
The main power plant has switched from gas to coal.In Rybnitsa
a city of about 50,000 in northern Transdniestria
52-year-old Alla said she had lit a fire in one room of her home and that only "the will of God" would turn her gas back on.In Bender
said her employer had told her to stay home
where she was using an electric heater.She did not know whether she would continue to be paid
but said she was counting on Russia to come to the rescue."We are allies of Russia
And we hope that Russia will not abandon us," she said.Map showing the location of Transdniestria
a Russian-backed breakaway region of Moldova on the eastern bank of the River Dnieper
bordering UkraineAdditional reporting by Olena Harmash in Kyiv
Writing by Mark Trevelyan and Lucy Papachristou
Chief writer on Russia and CIS. Worked as a journalist on 7 continents and reported from 40+ countries, with postings in London, Wellington, Brussels, Warsaw, Moscow and Berlin. Covered the break-up of the Soviet Union in the 1990s. Security correspondent from 2003 to 2008. Speaks French, Russian and (rusty) German and Polish.
, opens new tab."Things will get better
your loved ones," he added.The flow of Russian gas through Ukraine stopped when Kyiv refused to extend a transit agreement amid the 34-month-old war.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Wednesday described the end of gas transit as "one of Moscow's biggest defeats"
He said it was now Europe's "joint task" to support Moldova "in this period of energy transformation".Russia had been pumping about 2 billion cubic metres of gas per year to Transdniestria
including a power plant that provided energy for the whole of Moldova
a country of 2.5 million people that wants to join the European Union
The ex-Soviet state has a long history of gas payment disputes and tense relations with Russia.CUTTING ENERGY CONSUMPTIONMoldova says it is taking measures to cut its energy consumption by at least a third
It plans to meet 38% of its needs by domestic production
and import the remaining 62% from neighbouring Romania.Government spokesman Daniel Voda said on Wednesday that all Moldovan energy consumers were secure
and that the country's thermal power plants were operating normally
He added that Moldova's gas reserves would suffice for the cold period.Voda said
that the government supported residents of Transdniestria and was "looking for alternative solutions to provide them with heat and energy".In Transdniestria
the local energy company's website said the cut-off of heating and hot water took effect at 7 a.m
but some facilities such as hospitals were exempt.It urged residents to dress warmly
gather family members together in a single room
hang blankets or thick curtains over windows and balcony doors
and use electric heaters."It is forbidden to use gas or electric stoves to heat the apartment - this can lead to tragedy," the company said.The temperature in Transdniestria's main city
was 4 degrees Celsius (39 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday
a 42-year-old mother of two who lives in an apartment block in the city
said virtually no heat was coming from the radiators."We prepared two rooms for this emergency and installed electric fireplaces there for heating
since they promised not to disconnect us from the electricity," she told Reuters."So we will hold on like this
hoping that this whole situation with gas is temporary."Transdniestria's parliament appealed last month to the Kremlin and the Russian parliament to reach a new agreement with Ukraine to enable gas supplies to continue
Moscow said at the time it would protect its citizens and soldiers in Transdniestria.Reporting by Alexander Tanas in Chisinau and Mark Trevelyan in London; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Christina Fincher
+374 10 650015
EUROPA PENTRU TINE!Află despre beneficiile și oportunitățile oferite Republicii Moldova de Uniunea Europeană
Chișinău - The government will allow the transiting of gas from the border with Moldova to the Transnistrian region
based on a contract signed by the Moldovagaz stock company and a Hungarian company
The costs for the transit will be paid by Tiraspoltransgaz in advance
after the left bank of Dniester had refused the European Union’s offer of 60 million euros for overcoming the energy crisis
„The solution chosen by the Tiraspol regime means that the region’s residents will continue living in a state of unpredictability and worry about the supply of gas
This is a solution which does not solve the problem for long term
we will not block the delivery of gas and will not leave the people on the left bank to freeze,’’ Prime Minister Dorin Recean said
According to the decision by the Commission for Emergency Situations (CSE)
the Moldovagaz stock company will conclude contracts on the sale and purchase of natural gas and will deliver it to the Tiraspoltransgaz Ltd Company
on condition that it receives the payments in advance for the gas and the transport services
the gas will be brought to the border with Moldova by the company from Hungary
Tiraspol will undertake the following actions
in order to show openness: releasing the political prisoners
settlement of the problem of the Rabnita-based lyceum
preservation of the Moldovan public TV channels in the grid and removal of the control posts set in 2022
The first delivery from MET Gas and Energy Marketing AG might take place on 13 February
decision-makers ruled that Moldovagaz will sell
2 million cubic metres of gas to Tiraspoltransgaz and will borrow another 3 million cubic metres
which are to be returned till 31 March 2025
„People saw what Russia means and what means to have the European Union with you
We proved that we want and have capacity to help the people on the left bank
We will continue taking rational decisions
in order to maintain the peace and good understanding all over the country,’’ the PM noted
Another CSE’s decision deals with the delivery of electric generators to the Education and Research Ministry
Health Ministry and Labour and Social Protection Ministry
Those 15 generators were provided for free as humanitarian assistance by Germany and Lithuania
through the European Union’s Civil Protection Mechanism
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This image made available on the official Telegram channel of Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic shows Alexander Korshunov
Chairman of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic’s Supreme Council
addressing delegates during a session in Tiraspol
the capital of the breakaway region of Transnistria
Legislators in Moldova’s Russia-backed breakaway region of Transnistria used a rare meeting on Wednesday to appeal to Moscow and the European Union and other international bodies for help amid mounting socio-economic pressure they blame on Moldova’s pro-Western government
(Supreme Council of the PMR telegram channel via AP)
A combination of images made available on the official Telegram channel of Supreme Council of the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic shows
members of the Transnistrian congress used a rare meeting in the regional capital
to ask the Russian Duma to “implement measures for defending Transnistria amid increasing pressure from Moldova
given the fact that more than 220,000 Russian citizens reside in Transnistria.”
A short war in the early 1990s led pro-Russia forces in Transnistria to declare a breakaway state
Russia stations about 1,500 troops in the region as so-called peacekeepers
who guard huge Soviet-era weapons and ammunition stockpiles
Moldova is working to align its economic legislation with the EU as it pursues full membership in the 27-nation bloc
But the new customs duties leveled on Transnistria have angered officials there
who say the measures harm local residents and businesses
officials in Tiraspol also appealed to the European Parliament to prevent what it described as pressure from Moldova from “violating the rights and freedoms” of local residents
the European Parliament and the International Committee of the Red Cross
tensions mounted after an opposition legislator in Tiraspol last week said the gathering could be used to announce a bid by Transnistria to join Russia
A spokesperson for Moldova’s government dismissed those claims and labeled the meeting a “propaganda event,” adding that there was “no danger of escalation.”
chairman of the Transnistrian Supreme Council
said Wednesday that Moldova was “taking advantage of the geopolitical situation” and using the economy “as a tool of pressure and blackmail.”
He added: “Moldova’s policy and goals regarding Transnistria have remained unchanged over the past decades: to destroy our economic potential
create unbearable living conditions for our citizens … and achieve the dismantling of our statehood.”
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova also commented on those annexation speculations on Wednesday
people in Chisinau have been speculating and wondering what decisions this forum might make,” she said
more than 95% of voters backed the option of joining Russia
but the ballot wasn’t internationally recognized
State Department at the time called it a “provocative referendum” that “cannot be taken seriously.”
is a thin strip of territory located between the eastern bank of the Dniester River and Moldova’s border with Ukraine
officially named the Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic
Dasha Litvinova contributed to this report from Tallinn
This story has been corrected to show that the 2006 referendum was held in Transnistria
A team from a forgotten impoverished corner of Europe not only qualifies for Europe's most prestigious soccer tournament but beats one of the continent's titans in the early stages of the competition
Sheriff Tiraspol's improbable run in the Europe-wide Champions League has been splashed in headlines around the globe
especially after their win in late September over Real Madrid
They face another giant of European soccer
But behind the team's Hollywood-like rise lurks a darker tale
Sheriff Tiraspol is part of a larger business empire founded by two men with shadowy pasts that not only dominates business but politics in Transdniester
a breakaway region of Moldova that borders Ukraine and is dependent on the Kremlin for support
The company created by Viktor Gusan and Ilya Kazmaly -- Sheriff Ltd
as well as a mini media empire of radio and TV stations
is said to control an estimated 60 percent of the region's economy
which was founded in 1997 and boasts Gusan as its president
the team plays and dominates in the eight-team top national league of Moldova
"The Sheriff Tiraspol soccer team is just a part of an empire that effectively controls the breakaway region economically," explains Sabine von Lowis of the Center for East European and International Studies (ZOiS) in Berlin
Every member of parliament is connected with the party founded by Gusan," adds von Lowis
Pro-Russian separatists in Transdniester declared independence from Moldova in 1990 amid concerns that Chisinau would seek reunification with Romania as the Soviet Union fell apart. Two years later, the separatists fought government forces in a conflict that left nearly 600 dead
The region is now split more or less into three equal ethnic minorities: Ukrainians
Around half of those who live in Transdniester have Russian citizenship
but Moscow unofficially backs the separatists' self-declared government
Between 1,500 and 2,000 Russian soldiers are stationed there today in what is one of Europe's longest-running frozen conflicts
Breakaway Transdniester has long been described as a lawless land caught in a Soviet time warp. A 2020 U.S. State Department report listed arbitrary arrests
and serious restrictions on freedom of movement among a long list of human rights abuses observed in Transdniester
Not much is known about the Soviet-era pasts of the club's two founders before their rise to prominence in the 1990s
founded the Sheriff business holding company
striking a deal with Transdniester's first de facto leader
who allowed the two would-be oligarchs to take over state-controlled supermarkets in the separatist-controlled area
"They made it a Western-style supermarket chain and filled it with more or less legally traded products," von Lowis explains
Sheriff supermarkets bearing the company's five-point star soon emerged
stocked with goods that were thought to be smuggled across Transdniester's border with Ukraine
"For more than a quarter of a century, Moldova has been unable to control trade flows along Transdniester's section of the Moldovan-Ukrainian border," explains Vladimir Thorik, editor of RISE Moldova
an investigative journalism project that is part of the Global Investigative Journalism Network and a member of the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP)
As RISE Moldova and many other media outlets have chronicled, Sheriff allegedly owes its fortune to the illegal trade in cigarettes
much of which allegedly ends up smuggled out of the Ukrainian port of Odesa 80 kilometers away
Today, legitimate or not, Sheriff and its web of companies dominate the economy in the Moldovan breakaway region, explains Michael Bobick
scholar who has written extensively on the region and Sheriff
"A result of their subsequent state capture and monopolization of the consumer sector
what was once viewed as contraband now forms an integral part of Transdniester's economy," Bobick told RFE/RL in written comments
Sheriff also grabbed other assets in the region as Soviet-era industry was auctioned off
a separatist official and adviser to Smirnov
played a key role in the privatization drive
"Sheriff won the competition," Litskay told the AFP news agency on September 27
explaining that it offered "the best prices and guarantees" that the factories would "continue running."
But Litskay said the company had a "very dark criminal history," recalling that it had a "tough fight" with competitors
Sheriff did not respond to RFE/RL requests for comment on the allegations of criminality or the company's finances
If politics is the shadow cast by business
then perhaps no case illustrates that better than the relationship in Transdniester between the ruling Obnovlenie party and the Sheriff conglomerate
"All members of parliament are more or less connected with Sheriff. The son of Gusan is a member of parliament," explains von Lowis, referring to Yevgeny Gusan, a member of Transdniester's so-called Supreme Soviet
Those ties have translated into financial gain for Sheriff -- and for the members of parliament working for the company. Dubbing Transdniester "Sheriff Republic," RISE Moldova alleged that by 2015 one-third of all the money from the separatists' annual state budget ended up in companies owned by Sheriff
Vadim Krasnoselsky, the current leader of Transdniester whose presidential campaign was financed by Sheriff, hails the company as the region's "main taxpayer."
they invest," he told the AFP news agency in September
In 1997, Gusan and Kazmaly founded FC Sheriff, rebranding an already existing team: Tiras Tiraspol. With an annual budget estimated at some $4.7 million -- not much for high-level European soccer teams, but princely in Moldova, Europe's poorest country -- Sheriff has won 19 titles in 23 years with a roster of mainly foreign players
The team's appearance in the Champions League this season is its greatest success
but the team has qualified in the past for UEFA's Europa League
the second-most-prestigious club soccer competition in Europe
But Sheriff Tiraspol is more than just a soccer team, argues Mihai Isac, a Moldovan political expert. "The football club is involved in different actions designed to promote the relations between Transdniester and Russia," Isac recently told Euronews
In 2015, Interdnestrcom -- a telecoms company belonging to the Sheriff empire -- was allowed by Moscow to operate in Crimea, which Russia seized from Ukraine a year earlier, RISE Moldova alleged
Gusan is "a hard-core proponent of Ruskiy Mir with Transdniester as one of its centers," Isac said
referring to a Kremlin-supported belief that the millions of Russian speakers outside of Russia
are part of a larger "Russian World."
Gusan also has Ukrainian citizenship as well as owning land and property in the Kyiv and Odesa regions of Ukraine
the oligarch controls a 600-square-meter dwelling in the Odesa region that he uses as a vacation home
a joint venture of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service and UA:Pershy television
Beyond Gusan's properties abroad, businesses held by Sheriff are also active outside the former Soviet space. Goods, from textiles to construction materials, head to Western Europe and caviar is sold to the United States and Japan. Tirotex, a textile manufacturer linked to Sheriff
exports more than 40 percent of its products to Italy
And more money is guaranteed the further a team progresses
The winner of the tournament will win a total of 85.1 million euros
While many in Moldova have been applauding the team's success in the Champions League
says success on the field won't likely benefit Transdniester
"There is no promotion of sports or athletes from the Republic of Moldova, not even from Transdniester. Even if that was the case, we would probably have little reason to cheer," Necsutu told RFE/RL's Moldovan Service
noting that few of the players on the team are actually Moldovan
"We have seen a team with a lot of money that
has 'produced dividends,' reaching the group stage of the Champions League that will benefit the club's owners."
is the burnishing of Transdniester's international image
the so-called "sportwashing," Necsutu contends
have tried in recent years to raise the image of the region internationally
But what they couldn't achieve through classical diplomacy they have achieved through the diplomacy of soccer."
Tony Wesolowsky is a senior correspondent for RFE/RL in Prague
His work has also appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine
please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing
To find out more, click here
Sometimes, two seemingly conflicting ideas can exist at once. Like how to feel about Moldova's Sheriff Tiraspol
and whether it's a "fairy tale" or a sad reflection of what it takes for a smaller
poorer nation to send a team to the Champions League
Let's start with the good bit to cheer us up, shall we? This is a club that beat Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night to move to the top of their Champions League group, with six points out of six. Before beating the Spanish giants -- who have won more European Cups than anyone else, and who won four Champions League crowns in the past eight seasons -- in the group stage opener, they defeated Shakhtar Donetsk
who have qualified for the Champions League for 10 straight years
To even get into this season's Champions League
Sheriff had to start their season in the first qualifying round way back on July 7
just five weeks after their 2020-21 campaign ended and at a time when the European football world was preoccupied with other matters
they beat Dinamo Zagreb and former European champions Red Star Belgrade
both of whom were in the Champions League just two years ago
Now consider the fact that Sheriff were only founded in 1997
that they play in a 12,746-seat stadium that they didn't fill even pre-pandemic -- their average domestic attendance in 2019 was under 1,000 per game -- and that in their history
they'd never advanced beyond the group stage
and their late winner was scored by somebody named Sebastian Thill
who himself made history as the first player from tiny Luxembourg to score a Champions League goal
(Before you imagine Thill to be some kind of phenom who happens to have been born in a tiny country -- sort of a Benelux version of Liberia's legendary striker
had only ever played in Luxembourg until last season and has been capped just 16 times
which means he doesn't even figure in the top 100 list of most-capped Luxembourg footballers.)
It's hard to make an apt analogy for Tuesday's win
Maybe if a tiny online college founded in the late 1990s beat Oregon
And if they defeated the latter at Cameron Field House in front of the Crazies
thanks to a buzzer-beating 3-pointer drained by a guy from Belize who isn't even among Belize's top 100 players
When you then juxtapose it with the shelved (for now) Super League project driven by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez
who memorably said the Champions League group stage was "not interesting" and that football would be "dead by 2024" if not for the sort of Super League -- a structure that would de facto exclude not just the Sheriffs of the world
but all but a handful of Europe's professional clubs on a permanent basis -- the temptation to troll becomes hard to resist
Sheriff Tiraspol more interesting than a bog-standard group stage equivalent -- say
Tottenham -- in Florentino's proposed Super League format
with two groups of 10 playing home and away and five of the 10 advancing
(If you've heard of Senica before right now
you're either very knowledgeable on football or Slovakian.)
and you've got yourself a ready-made feature curio
Except there's a little problem in viewing this strictly through the "fairy tale" lens
it's not just the fact that there is very little Moldovan about this team: neither the coach
nor any of the players who beat Madrid are Moldovan (or Transnistrian
(Before Madrid fans -- or anyone else -- get high and mighty about national identity
there were exactly zero Spaniards on the pitch.)
Read all the latest news and reaction from ESPN FC senior writer Gabriele Marcotti
Rather, it's Sheriff itself and the circumstances behind their rise, as well as the people bankrolling them. This thread
At a time when football is often used for geopolitical or nationalistic purposes
when unsavoury or totalitarian figures play an increasingly large role in the success of many clubs
and when the gap between the rich superclubs and everyone else is as great as ever
it's tempting to see the Sheriff story as an antidote to do this
They've been Moldovan champions in 19 of the past 21 years
they have the country's only modern stadium and they're bankrolled by the Sheriff corporation
a conglomerate that includes Transnistria's only supermarket chain
The owners have close ties to the local government
This isn't just a company team; it's a company town in the company enclave of Transnistria
and you can't shake the feeling that this is what it takes for "fairy tales" like this to take place in the modern game
We can talk about dreams and the fact that on any given day
an Uzbek and a Luxembourger -- virtually all of them journeymen and no-names -- can defeat Real Madrid
with a guaranteed annual shot at the Champions League qualifying rounds and owners who can do what they like (at least locally)
you likely don't even get a chance to dream
multinational squad of players isn't the only thing Sheriff have in common with some of the continent's elite
Sheriff's epic underdog victory at the Santiago Bernabeu is most definitely to be celebrated as an incredible achievement
the circumstances that made it possible are to be lamented
it's virtually impossible for 99% of Europe to compete
A critical trip to Moldova is on tap for Inter
As the Champions League group stage reaches the second half of its schedule, Inter Milan will take on Sheriff Tiraspol in Moldova, or Transnistria, as they may prefer
A victory would see Inter break into the top two of Group D and put the Nerazzurri in the driver's seat for advancing to the knockout rounds of the Champions League for the first time since 2012
Sheriff played well on their trip to Milan
and will be a tough challenge as they have yet to lose at home in the competition proper
The Cinderella story of the Champions League so far this season
defeating Shakhtar Donetsk 2-0 on the first matchday
Inter handed them their first loss in the competition in the last Champions League matchday
They still produced a good showing despite the loss
threatening the Inter goal on multiple occasions and scoring through a stunning Sebastien Thill free-kick
their first-choice goalkeeper Georgios Athanasiadis will be back for the match
after missing the previous fixture between these two clubs
Sheriff have everyone else from their 3-1 loss to Inter available to face them for a second time to attempt to reverse their fortunes against the Italian champions
Inter started this Champions League season with a loss and a draw
A second consecutive victory over Sheriff would make up the two-point difference between the two clubs
Simone Inzaghi has been giving generous playing time to a large portion of the squad to keep everyone fresh for matches like this
The rotation is expected to continue with the Milan Derby coming up on the weekend
Stefan de Vrij should return after being rested against Udinese
Alessandro Bastoni will likely be the defender getting rest on Wednesday
with Federico Dimarco taking his spot as he did against Sheriff two weeks ago
Arturo Vidal and Matteo Darmian may give rest to Hakan Calhanoglu and Denzel Dumfries while Lautaro Martinez should return to partner with Edin Dzeko
This match should be a bit more challenging than the previous fixture between the two
as Sheriff will be more comfortable in their own stadium
A motivated and confident Inter side should be able to go in and grind out the win on the back of two consecutive Serie A clean sheet victories
who will need some production from dead ball situations to get over the hump and put together consecutive Champions League wins for the first time since 2018
The so-called Foreign Minister of Transnistria published a statement on Wednesday welcoming the European Union’s assistance in resolving the gas crisis in the pro-Russian region and proposing discussions between „experts” from both banks of the Dniester River
Moldovagaz company announced that it has already signed a loan agreement with Tiraspoltransgaz for 3 million cubic meters of natural gas to support the functioning of the gas system on the left bank of the Dniester
"Deliveries will be made based on requests received from Tiraspoltransgaz
this volume of natural gas must be returned by March 1
2025," the statement published by Moldovagaz states
the so-called Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Transnistria proposed the urgent organization of a meeting between specialists to clarify the "exact details and conditions" of the financial support
"Transnistria welcomes the EU's intention to provide emergency financial assistance to support the short-term needs of the republic in the context of the humanitarian and energy crisis
Considering the lack of precise information regarding the parameters of this support
as well as the interpretations of some officials of the Republic of Moldova that contradict the content of the letter previously received from the political representative of Moldova
the Transnistrian party has proposed the urgent organization of a meeting between specialists," the statement from Tiraspol reads
The Transnistrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the need for discussions to take place as soon as possible "to clarify the exact details of the mentioned proposal."
Chisinau and Tiraspol have decided to hold a technical working meeting on Wednesday afternoon
to discuss the aspects of implementing the energy support offered to the Transnistrian region by the European Union and the Republic of Moldova
Although the authorities in Chisinau had previously announced that the meeting would take place on January 30
at the insistence of Transnistrian leader Vadim Krasnoselski
The Transnistrian leader said it was urgent because any delay prolongs the suffering of Transnistrian residents
the Reintegration Bureau informed us that they are ready to organize the meeting tomorrow
people have been waiting for heating for over a month
an evening and a night in which we can discuss even by phone or online," stated the Transnistrian leader
According to the Reintegration Policy Bureau in Chisinau
representatives of energy companies from both banks of the Dniester are invited to the meeting
The purpose of the meeting is to clarify the technical details of the support intended for the Transnistrian region
On Monday, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Dorin Recean, announced in a press conference that "The European Union is once again saving the Republic of Moldova"
granting a support package that includes a solution for the gas crisis in Transnistria
The support package from the European Union has three components
and the "immediate component" includes the approval of a gas "loan" for Transnistria
Another component of the EU aid package provides that the EU will offer Chisinau a grant of 30 million euros between February 1-10 to purchase gas
to produce electricity at the Cuciurgan power plant at "crisis-proof costs" and to ensure consumption for the left bank of the Dniester
Vadim Krasnoselski stated that Russia will provide Transnistria with a credit to purchase gas from Europe
Moldova has reportedly prepared a plan for the reintegration of Transnistria
It includes the withdrawal of Russian troops at the request of Tiraspol
The Spanish El Pais published the so-called reintegration plan for the Transnistrian region
the plan was prepared by a consulting agency authorized by Chișinău
The Spanish media notes that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has created unique conditions that Moldova wants to use to restore economic and political reintegration
Moldova wants to regain control of Transnistria by 2038
Moldova intends to unite following the example of Germany - accession of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) to the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) in 1990
The reintegration plan is supposed to end with a referendum and the withdrawal of Russian troops from Transnistria
The withdrawal should take place at the request of Tiraspol
and be replaced by an international mission
There are currently 500 Russian “peacekeepers” at checkpoints in Transnistria
Russia also has 1,500 soldiers in the region
Moldova is secretly meeting with Transnistrian leaders
but the talks are still at a very early stage
Chisinau wants to agree with Transnistria this year on training judges
Moldova will offer Transnistrian residents compensation for gas prices
and the parties will begin to negotiate the political status of the region
Chisinau and Tiraspol are supposed to hold a referendum
Moldova has neither denied nor confirmed the media reports
The Bureau for Reintegration Policies told the Moldovan edition of NewsMaker that Chișinău had official programs and an action plan for reintegration
two days before Moldova declared independence
Transnistria is still unrecognized in the world
During Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine
Transnistria claimed alleged provocations by Ukraine
the Russian Ministry of Defense accused the Armed Forces of allegedly preparing to invade Transnistria.